NFL won’t test for HGH without union’s agreement

FOX’s Jay Glazer reported earlier today that the NFLPA has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the NFL instructing the league not to proceed with any plans to collect blood samples for HGH testing.

The league says that admonition isn’t necessary.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tells PFT via email that there won’t be testing for HGH, or even the collection of blood samples for future testing, absent the NFLPA’s consent.

“We never proposed to start collecting or testing without the union’s agreement,” Aiello told PFT. “We said that we would be prepared to start collecting blood as agreed to by everyone in the [October 14] meeting with Representatives Issa and Cummings.”

And so the insertion of needles into the arms of players won’t be starting on Monday. But it could be starting soon. Charley Casserly of CBS reported earlier today that another meeting aimed at resolving the situation will be held before Congress, and that NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has been instructed to attend, or subpoenas will be issued.